Multi-spin and wager slot video machine

ABSTRACT

A video slot machine allows a player to make a plurality of wagers at the beginning of the game. The machine has a plurality (R) of reels which may be either mechanical or video. Each reel may have S symbols. The first wager made by the player is on the outcome of the spin of the first set of reels, a second wager is on the combined outcome of the first and second sets of the reels, etc. until the last wager is on the combined outcome of all of the reels. If a predetermined condition is met on the outcome of each spin, the subsequent spin is enabled. If at any spin the predetermined condition for that spin is not met, then the subsequent wagers are canceled and credited back to the player. The payout ratio increases for each subsequent spin in the series.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to video slot machines and more particularly tosuch machines which enable a player to make a plurality of wagers beforethe first spin of the machine with subsequent spins only being enabledbased on conditions being met by the previous spin and the payout ratioincreasing with each spin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to video slot machines with a new concept ofmachine design, activation, wagers placed and progressive payouts.

Video slot machines are the most popular games at casinos. In general, agaming machine allows a player to play a game in exchange of a singlewager. Players bet a single wager and either pull a lever or push abutton to activate the machine. The slot video machine eithermechanically spins a plurality of reels or electronically displaysrotating reels. The machines usually have between three and five reels,each having a variety of symbols along their outer circumference.Players win or lose depending on the symbols type and position of allthe reels on the screen. In most cases, players win or lose depending onhow many of the reels resulted in matching symbols and the winningamount depends on which symbols are matched. In the last few decades,machines have been developed with many different features to captivateand increase a player's interest. Among these features, machines areprovided with flashing displays, lighted displays, sound effect, awards,prizes, progressive jackpots, reward of feature games of differenttypes, multi-line gaming and simultaneous multi-play presentation.

However, constant play on a particular type of machine tends to dull theplayer's interest in the game and accordingly the industry is compelledto continually introduce new variations of the machines to maintain theplayer's interest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a unique video slotmachine game that broadly allows the player to make a series of wagersbefore the initiation of play on the outcome of spins of the reels. Theinitial wager is on a conventional spin of a first set of reels and thesubsequent wagers are only allowed depending upon the outcome ofprevious wagers and are on the combined outcome of the previous reelspins. Preferably the series of wagers provide increased payout ratiosand the results of the previous wager or wagers determine whethersubsequent spins may be engaged in. If the condition allowing subsequentwagers is not met at any stage, the wagers which the player initiallymade on subsequent stages are credited back to the player, the machineresets, and a new round starts.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a wagering game includesa plurality of indicia-bearing reels, say R reels with S symbols on eachreel. At the start, the player bets N wagers: a first wager W(1) on theoutcome of the spin of the first set of r(1) reels, a second wager W(2)on the combined outcome of the first and second sets of r(1)+r(2) reels,a third wager on the combined outcome of the first, second and thirdsets of reels, . . . and this continues till the last Nth wager on thecombined outcome of all the R reels. As the player activates the machineby pulling a lever or pushing a spin button, the first set of r(1) reelsspin, stop and display symbols on the screen. Depending on the type andposition of the symbols displayed on the screen, the machine displays ifthe player has won or lost and if won, the winning amount is credited tothe player. If a predetermined condition is met on the outcome of thefirst spin of the first r(1) reels, such as the player winning thatwager, a second set of r(2) reels spin, stop and symbols are displayed.Depending on the type and position of the symbols displayed on ther(1)+r(2) reels combined, the machine displays whether the second wageris a win or a loss, and if former, then the winning amount is creditedto the player. This process continues till the last set of reels. At anyspin n, if the predetermined condition is not met, then the n+1 set ofreels are not spun and all wagers beyond that spin are credited back tothe player. At each spin, the machine pays winning wagers according to apredetermined payout schedule or collects losing wagers associated withreels that spun. Payouts are progressive, i.e. payout ratio increasewith the number of spins.

These aspects and more, which are unique in their concept and theirincorporation in the slot video machines, will provide enhancedentertainment and a unique experience to the players which will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a standard slot video machine illustratedas having three reels that can be used in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a typical reel combination produced in themachine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the display screen and control panel for afive reel, five spin embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the display screen and control panel for afive reel, three spin embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Selected embodiments of the present invention will now be explained withreference to the drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in theart from this disclosure that the following descriptions of theembodiments of the present invention are provided for illustrationpurpose only and do not limit the invention as defined in the claims.

A preferred embodiment may be implemented in a basic slot machine asillustrated in FIG. 1, but with five reels. The operation of the machineis controlled by a microprocessor under the control of an applicationprogram. The microprocessor receives signals from entries that theplayer makes on a control panel 30. These entries include credits fromcoin/bill/player ID and credit card insertion slots and the like, andwagers. The microprocessor, under control of the application program,controls the spin of mechanical reels or generates displays of reelrotation on LCDs or the like. It also generates display messages relatedto prompts to the player, win/loss messages, available credit and thelike.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the display screen 20 and the player control panel30. The display screen 20 displays a first reel 1, a second reel 2, athird reel 3, a fourth reel 4 and a fifth reel 5. The control panel 30displays the BET setting buttons 1 a or 12 for the first set of reels,the BET setting buttons 2 a or 34 for the second set of reels, and thiscontinues till the last set of the N sets of reels, in the two givenexamples, N is equal to 5 and 3 respectively. The spin button 6 is alsodisplayed on the player control panel 30. Only items that are relevantto this invention are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Items that exist in allstandard machines are not shown in that drawing. These items include butare not limited to the following: the machine housing, coin/bill orticket insertion slot, symbols or indicia on the reels, available creditdisplay, win or pay display, message display and player card insertionslot.

After the performance of a credit input operation (such as insertingcoins, bills or a ticket), a player sets the BET amount for the firstset of reels using 1 a or 12, sets the BET amount for the second set ofreels using 2 a or 34, and so on till the last N set of reels. The BETamounts for each of the N wagers could be the same or different but arealways within a minimum and maximum wagers set in the machine. Theplayer then presses the spin button 6 to operate the machine and start around of game.

Once spin button 6 is pressed, the first set of reels r(1) spin, stopand display one or more symbols on the screen. Depending on thesymbol(s) type and position displayed on the screen, wager placed on 1 aor 12 is won or lost, and if won the winning amount is credited to theplayer. A predetermined condition may be imposed on the outcome of thefirst set of reels so that the second set of reels can spin. If thatimposed condition, if any, is met, the second set of reels spin, stopand display one or more symbols on the screen. Depending on the combinedsymbols displayed on the first and second sets of reels, a wager placedon 2 a or 34 is won or lost, and if won, the winning amount is creditedto the player. At any spin n, if the imposed condition, if any, is notmet, then subsequent spins of reels n+1, n+2 . . . N are not allowed andall wagers placed on these sets are credited to the player. The machineresets and a new round of game starts.

Another embodiment of this invention may be applied to a video or slotmachine with R display areas or reels, R being equal or higher than 2.

Another feature of this invention is the employment of symbols commonlyused in conventional machines. These include but are not limited to 7s,bells, dice numbers, roulette numbers, playing cards, cherries, bars,numbers, wild symbols, multipliers symbols, photos, animations, picturesor even “blanks”. The same or different symbols could be used on all thereels or on the display areas of the machine. The number of differentsymbols is usually the same on all the reels or display areas, but in afew cases a symbol can't be displayed in a spin of a reel if the samesymbol was displayed in the spin of a precedent reel.

Another aspect of this invention is that a condition may be imposed onthe spin of a set of reels subsequent to the first spin. One of theseconditions imposed may be to allow the reels of set number n to spinonly if the wager placed on the precedent set of reels has been won (orlost). Another condition could be that all symbols displayed so far areall the same color, different color, belong to same or differentcategories, form specific combinations, etc.

Another aspect of this invention is the progressive increase in thepayout from the first to second spin, from the second to third spin,etc.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent to those skilled in the art and theirapplication will make the slot and video machines much more attractiveto the players and more beneficial to the casinos.

1-4. (canceled)
 5. The video slot machine of claim 16 wherein the amountcredited to the player upon winning per unit wager on a subset of reelsincreases for each sequential rotation of a subset of reels in theseries.
 6. The video slot machine of claim 16 wherein the applicationprogram being operative to establish each wager as being won or lostdependent on the symbol(s) displayed upon rotation of the subsets ofreels associated with the said wager and the symbols displayed in theprevious subsets of rotations in the sequence.
 7. A video slot machine,comprising: a microprocessor; a display screen; player actuated inputsfor establishing credits to make wagers; an application program for themicroprocessor operative to generate a display of the credits to theplayer with the amount credited being augmented when the player wins awager and decremented when a wager is lost; the application programbeing operative to generate images on said display screen of a set ofrotatable reels which are divided into a plurality of subsets of reels,each reel having images of a plurality of symbols so that as the imagesof the reels rotate, different symbols are selected for display; aplayer actuated switch connected to the microprocessor for transmittinga signal which initiates rotation of the reel images on the displayscreen; the application program being operative to accept a sequence ofmulti credits from said player actuated inputs, each credit representinga wager associated with the activation of one of the subsets of reels insequence; and the application program being operative upon a playeractuating said switch to rotate in sequence the activated subsets ofreels subsequent to the first subset of reels dependent upon apredetermined condition associated with the previous rotation in thesequence.
 8. (canceled)
 9. The video slot machine of claim 7 wherein thepredetermined condition involving the symbols displayed upon rotation ofthe previous subsets of reel(s) in the set of rotations constitutes thewagers on all previous subsets having been won.
 10. The video slotmachine of claim 7 wherein if the predetermined condition is not met inone of the subset of rotations in the sequence, then the sequence ofrotations is terminated, and the wagers on the rotations following thesaid rotation in which the predetermined condition is not met arecredited to the player.
 11. The video slot machine of claim 7 whereinupon winning a wager on a subset of reels the amount credited to theplayer per unit wager increases for each sequential rotation of a subsetof reels in the series.
 12. The video slot machine of claim 7 whereinthe application program being operative to establish each wager as beingwon or lost dependent on the symbol(s) displayed upon rotation of thesubset of reels associated with the said wager and the symbols displayedin the previous subsets of rotations in the sequence.
 13. (canceled) 14.(canceled)
 15. (canceled)
 16. A video slot machine, comprising: amicroprocessor; a display screen; player actuated inputs forestablishing credits to make wagers; an application program for themicroprocessor operative to generate a display of the credits to theplayer with the amount credited being augmented when the player wins awager and decremented when a wager is lost; the application programbeing operative to generate images on said display screen of a set ofrotatable reels which are divided into a plurality of subsets of reels,each reel having images of a plurality of symbols so that as the imagesof the reels rotate, different symbols are selected for display; aplayer actuated switch connected to the microprocessor for transmittinga signal which initiates rotation of the reel images on the displayscreen; the application program being operative to accept a sequence ofmulti credits from said player actuated inputs, each credit representinga wager associated with the activation and the rotation of one of thesubsets of reels in sequence; and the application program beingoperative, upon a player actuating said switch, to generate images ofthe rotation of the activated subsets of reels, with the wager activatedsubsets of reels being rotated in sequence.